Kellogg-Briand Pact:

THE ISSUE: “WAR”

Can War Be Outlawed Forever?

TIPS ConLaw Project

Mr. Faubel

Walton High School

Bronx, N.Y.

Introduction

In the summer of 1929, diplomats from the American State Department engaged in an extraordinary experiment in international law. Designed to stop the outbreak of all future wars anywhere in the world, they helped to draft a diplomatic agreement officially entitled The General Pact for the Renunciation of War. But, it soon came to be known in history as the Kellogg-Briand Pact.

In the era following World War I, the United States pursued an “isolationist” foreign policy which was designed to prevent our nation from getting involved with any armed conflicts outside of our hemisphere.

Coauthored by Secretary of State Frank B. Kellogg and French Foreign Minister Arsitide Briand, who had been awarded the 1926 Nobel Peace Prize, the agreement was intended to “outlaw” war forever. The agreement was eventually signed by thirty-three of the world’s most powerful nations, including Germany, Italy, Japan and the Soviet Union.

Student Task

You will analyze the provisions of the Kellogg-Briand Pact. Then, you will determine how effective this treaty was in preventing conflict and using international law to avoid future wars.

Students will:

· Read the primary source document and answer Summary Questions #1-#4.

· Complete the web-search and T.I.P.S. Worksheet.

· Compose a letter addressed to the United States Senate in which you take a position either for or against the treaty. This will be a persuasive letter, that must be at least 250 words in length.

· All parts of the assignment are to be completed on MicroSoft Word program, with a printed copy submitted for grading.

Process

Your assignment is divided into Two Parts:

ACCESS THE T.I.PS. WORKSHEETS LISTED IN THE

LINKS BELOW.

Complete the worksheets by using the Internet sources.

You will use these worksheets to complete the task.

Identify the Problem

Gather the Evidence

Determine the Causes

Evaluate the Policy

First: You must read and analyze the excerpt from a primary source document, The Kellogg-Briand Pact, using internet sources. Then, after summarize the important ideas contained in the treaty, you shall type your answers in the space provided in the T.I.P.S. Worksheet and MicoSoft Word program.

Second: Assignment requires you to write a personal letter defending or objecting to the United States signing this international agreement.

Internet Resources

www.maxwell.syr.edu/plegal/tips.html

www.yale.edu/lawweb/avalon/kbpact/kbmenu.htm

www.britannica.com/nobel/mirco/316_95.html

www.factmonster.com/ceg/history/a0827317.html

http://college.hmco.com/history/readerscomp/rcah/html/ah_049400_kelloggbrian.htm

Primary Source Document Analysis

The Kellogg-Briand Pact

The General Pact For The Renunciation Of War

Paris, France, August 27, 1928

Ratified by the United States Senate, January 24, 1929

Article 1.

The high contracting parties [nations] solemnly declare in the names of their respective peoples that they condemn recourse to war for the solution of international controversies, and renounce it as an instrument [tool] of national policy in their relations with one another.

Article 2.

The high contracting parties agree that the settlement or solutions of all disputes or conflicts of whatever nature or of whatever origin they may be, which may arise among them, shall never be sought except by pacific [peaceful] means.

Article 3.

The present treaty shall be ratified [approved] by the high contracting parties named in the preamble in accordance with their respective constitutional [governmental] requirements, and shall take effect as between them as soon as all their instruments of ratification [written acceptance] shall have been deposited at Washington.

This treaty shall, when it has come into effect as prescribed in the preceding paragraph, remain open as long as may be necessary for adherence [compliance] by all the other powers of the world. Every instrument evidencing the adherence of a power shall be deposited at Washington and the treaty shall immediately upon such deposit become effective as between the power thus adhering and the powers parties hereto…

***

PART 1

_______________Begin Answers Here_______________

#1: What is the main purpose of The Kellogg-Briand

Pact? Explain.

Answer:

#2: How does the document say nations should settle

their disputes when they come into conflict?

Answer:

#3: When does the treaty take effect and how do nations

give their consent to the agreement? Explain.

Answer:

#4: According to The Pact, what role does the United

States play in gaining international approval of

this treaty?

Answer:

PART 2

Setting: You are an American citizen who is concerned about the possibility of the United States getting involved in wars overseas. After reading about the Kellogg-Briand Pact in the newspaper, you decide to express your opinion to our elected representatives in Washington regarding ratification of this international agreement.

Your assignment: Write a persuasive letter, of at least 250 words, which argues either for or against the United States ratifying The Kellogg-Briand Pact. It will be addressed to the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, which has the duty of reviewing all treaties, which are negotiated by the President, before they are submitted to the full Senate for a vote.

Some questions that you may wish to consider when composing your letter are:

· Would this treaty really abolish war forever? How is it designed it prevent nations from using force to settle disputes?

· What does The Pact say about any consequences for breaking this treaty? Could the other nations enforce this agreement under international law? How?

· How would signing The Pact affect the national security of the United States? Would America still need to have an army and navy?

· Would this agreement really prevent the outbreak armed conflict, or could it actually cause more wars in the future?

_______________Begin Letter Here_______________

January 1, 1929

Honorable Senator Jefferson Smith

Chairman, Foreign Relations Committee

United States Senate

The Capital Building

Washington, D.C.

Dear Senator Smith:

***

Evaluation & Standards

Students must complete T.I.P.S Work Sheet, Parts 1 + 2 of the assignment. All work is to be produced on this MicroSoft Word program, with a hard paper copy printed for submission. The entire project will be grade on a scale of 1-5.

This interdisciplinary project is created according to the following NYC/NY State Learning Standards:

Social Studies

Standard 1:   History of the United States and New York

Students will use a variety of intellectual skills to demonstrate their understanding of major ideas, eras, themes, developments, and turning points in the history of the United States and New York.

Standard 5:   Civics, Citizenship, and Government

Students will use a variety of intellectual skills to demonstrate their understanding of the necessity for establishing governments; the governmental system of the United States and other nations; the United States Constitution; the basic civic values of American constitutional democracy; and the roles, rights, and responsibilities of citizenship, including avenues of participation

English Language Arts

Standard 1:   Language for Information and Understanding

Students will listen, speak, read, and write for information and understanding. As listeners and readers, students will collect data, facts, and ideas; discover relationships, concepts, and generalizations; and use knowledge generated from oral, written, and electronically produced texts. As speakers and writers, they will use oral and written language that follows the accepted conventions of the English language to acquire, interpret, apply, and transmit information.

Standard 3:   Language for Critical Analysis and Evaluation

Students will listen, speak, read, and write for critical analysis and evaluation. As listeners and readers, students will analyze experiences, ideas, information, and issues presented by others using a variety of established criteria. As speakers and writers, they will use oral and written language that follows the accepted conventions of the English language to present, from a variety of perspectives, their opinions and judgments on experiences, ideas, information and issues.